ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 12 September 1935, Page 6

ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY

GROWTH IN NEW ZEALAND. POWER BOARDS’ CONFERENCE. tßy Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, To-day. The electric power boards conference was opened by the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, who commented on the growth of the electrical industry, stating that capital invested was £32,821,286, partly Government and partly local bodies. Working expenses totalled £2,047,641, the total annual cost being £4,123,989. Retail revenue was £4,577,999 and profit for the year £454,010. He did not think anybody could complain that this was excessive. -He was sure that if the industry had been in the hands of private undertakings, a larger profit could have been expected. The output from Government stations had increased by six per cent, during the year. He regretted there had been a certain amount of dissension of a town v. country nature, but felt confident that these would be overcome. Mr M. J. Savage, Leader of the Opposition, assured the conference of his support. A remit was carried in which power is sought that .where trees overhang public roads and menace power lines, supply authorities, after due notice has been given, should be able to carry out reasonable and necessary trimming and recover the cost from the owner or occupier. It was decided to recommend the Education Department to take necessary steps to ensure that regular and systematic instruction should be given scholars throughout the Dominion, with a view to minimising electrical accidents.

A remit to ask the Government to consider a subsidy to reticulate sparsely developed areas was lost.